NJ educates consumers on how to reduce food waste

Raven Sanatana reports for NJTV News:

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 133 billion tons of food is wasted every year. The USDA says Americans throw away more than 20 pounds of food per person every month, and it’s estimated that on average an American throws away 40 percent of fresh fish, 23 percent of eggs and 20 percent of milk.
“It’s not in anyone’s interest to buy $100 worth of groceries at the grocery store, eat $75 worth of it and then throw the rest away,” said Princeton Mayor Liz Lempert.

In 2017, New Jersey passed a law establishing a food waste reduction goal of 50 percent by 2030. The law requires the Department of Environmental Protection to develop a plan with public input to accomplish the goal.


“We know that 11 percent of New Jersey population is food insecure,” said Scott Brubaker, deputy director for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. “And not only is the food wasted, but all the resources that went into producing that food.”
As part of the DEP’s effort to address climate change, the agency co-hosted a workshop for the restaurant industry at Princeton University to introduce ways they can become more sustainable. The DEP says part of the problem is that consumers are confused about food labels and have unrealistic ideas about how long food will last.
“Most of those labels have nothing to do with the safety to eat that food there. It’s simply the manufacturer’s statement of when that food is best purchased by,” said Brubaker. “So people end up throwing out perfectly good food.”

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NJ trying again on plan to recycle foreclosed homes into affordable housing. NJ Builders Association likes the idea

A Senate committee has advanced a measure to give New Jersey towns double credits toward their obligation to ensure adequate housing if they buy foreclosed residential properties, then convert them into affordable housing. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)

A Senate committee has advanced a measure to give New Jersey towns double credits toward their obligation to ensure adequate housing if they buy foreclosed residential properties, then convert them into affordable housing. (David J. Phillip/AP Photo)
Phil Gregory reports for WHYY:
New Jersey lawmakers are trying again on legislation to help increase the state’s stock of affordable housing after former Gov. Chris Christie vetoed similar legislation three times.
A Senate committee has advanced a measure to give towns double credits toward their obligation to ensure adequate housing if they buy foreclosed residential properties, then convert them into affordable housing.
It would be a creative solution to a vexing problem, said Staci Berger with the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey.
“We have homes that have no people in them, and we have an enormous housing crisis of affordability. We simply do not have enough homes that people can afford,” she said. “So, taking places that don’t have people in them — and turning them into places than can have people in them — doesn’t seem like rocket science. It should be a no-brainer.”
Affordable housing activists say the plan would be a step forward in the state’s slow recovery from the foreclosure crisis. The continuing lag is hurting New Jersey’s economy.
The bill is also good public policy, said Jeff Kolakowski with the New Jersey Builders Association.

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Nine local governments get $100,000 grants for innovation

Marissa Luca reports for the Atlantic City Press:

Atlantic City, Atlantic County, and Bridgeton are among nine local-government bodies each receiving $100,000 from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in an effort to promote innovative projects across the state, according to a press release.
The money is part of the Innovation Challenge, which offers communities a chance to compete for planning awards, the EDA said in a statement. Each town or county’s project focuses heavily on technology.

Atlantic
City’s money will go toward creating a Center for Marine & Environmental
Science on Bader Field, Atlantic County’s toward an Atlantic County Aviation
and Technical Academy and Bridgeton’s toward creating a food-technology hub.


“Communities across New Jersey responded to this challenge with a clear commitment to spurring innovation in their local ecosystems,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in the statement. “From the installation of a high-speed 5G fiber network to the creation of a collaborative research-driven incubator and maker’s campus, these plans will help further New Jersey’s ability to compete and win in the 21st-century economy.”

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Four bills in NJ Assembly enviro committee on Monday


The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee will meet at 2 p.m., Monday, September 17, 2018, in Committee Room 12, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ.


The following bill(s) will be considered:


Swain
(pending intro and referral)
Prohibits sale or distribution of products containing asbestos.
Speight
(pending intro and referral)
Revises 2050 limit on Statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
Taliaferro/Carter/Caputo
(pending intro and referral)
Corrects project list in P.L.2018, c.85, which appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects.
AR-184
Pinkin
(pending intro and referral)
Expresses opposition to EPA’s “Affordable Clean Energy” rule proposal.

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New vice-chairperson named to NJ enviro-committee

Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez

Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez has been
appointed as vice-chairwoman of the New Jersey Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.

Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora

The committee is responsible for addressing statewide concerns such as water safety, carbon emissions, combatting pollution, along with other various pieces of legislation aimed at improving quality of life for New Jersey residents.

The vice-chairmanship was previously held by Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who recently left the Assembly and assumed the role of Mayor of Trenton.
“I am honored to serve as the Vice-chair of the Environment and Solid Waste Committee, especially at such a critical time when we must be proactive in protecting our environment, said Lopez (D-Middlesex).


“It is a responsibility for us as legislators to play a significant role in making New Jersey a clean and healthy place to live, as well as preserving all of the resources our state has to offer. I look forward to tackling the many environmental concerns that are affecting New Jersey residents throughout our state.”

Lopez also serves as a member of the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, the Oversight, Reform and the Federal Relations, and Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee in the Assembly.


Like Speaker Coughlin, she represents the 19th Legislative District, which covers Carteret, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, Sayreville, and Woodbridge. 


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NJ beefs up hotline to accept reports of clergy sex abuse

The scandal in the Catholic Church over alleged sex abuse by priests has sparked action by states across the country. (Rex C Curry | The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Ted Sherman reports for NJ.com:
A New Jersey hotline set up to report abuse by priests has had no shortage of callers who have stories of alleged abuse to tell, officials say.
A week after the state Attorney General’s office launched a special task force to investigate allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic dioceses of New Jersey, a dedicated call-in center to allow victims to speak with investigators has been all but overwhelmed.
“The hotline has been receiving a high volume of calls — such that additional staff was assigned to receive calls — and some of the calls are reporting multiple victims of abuse,” acknowledged Peter Aseltine, a spokesman for the Division of Criminal Justice.
Indeed, some have complained they have had trouble getting through.

Confession@Confessionfilm


@NewJerseyOAG I’ve tried myself and am hearing from a number of survivors that the hotline is not working. But we will keep trying. @TedShermanSL @KellyHeyboer
8:53 PM – Sep 6, 2018

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@NewJerseyOAG been hearing from a number of survivors as well as myself that the hotline is not working properly but we will keep trying until we get thru. @KellyHeyboer @SusanKLivio @TedShermanSL
9:00 PM – Sep 6, 2018

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Aseltine, who would not disclose how many calls have been received, said the state has taken steps to ensure that the hotline is adequately staffed. Calls yesterday to the toll-free number, (855) 363-6548, were being answered almost immediately.
In an interview with NPR, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said the response underscored the need to have hotlines across the country, “because I am certain that this abuse, given the pattern and practices that the Pennsylvania report identified, was not limited to the Northeast.”

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